LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are dozens of ways for a college football team to signal it has made legitimate improvement on the national scene.
I believe this reason belongs on the list:
Showing the ability to beat a good team after losing a significant player to injury,
You guessed it: That is what is at stake for Indiana on Saturday when the Hoosiers try to topple No. 16 Wisconsin in Madison without Mr. Everything — Michael Penix Jr. — at quarterback.
Indiana will visit Wisconsin dragging a 10-game losing streak against the Badgers.
If the Hoosiers can beat a team that was predicted to win the Big Ten West with Jack Tuttle, a guy who has attempted 16 passes in three college seasons, there will be no reason to question Indiana’s position as one of the 10 best teams in the country.
“A great throw from (Tuttle) is like an everyday thing,” IU halfback Tim Baldwin said. “He’s probably one of the hardest workers that I have seen, if not the hardest worker.”
“I’m 100% confident in Jack and what he can do,” IU linebacker D.K. Bonhomme added. “I’m not even worried.”
I’ve only seen Tuttle make five of his 16 career throws. Those were the five he made — and completed — last Saturday while finishing the 27-11 victory over Maryland after Penix exited with a torn ACL in the third quarter at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
The completions were for 22, 2, 1, minus-1 and 7 yards. Those numbers do not include his best throw, a 3-yard strike from the right hash to the left side of the field that tight end Peyton Hendershot caught for 2-point conversion two snaps after Tuttle entered.
If Tuttle handles the Wisconsin pass rush as unflappably as he handled his first media session Wednesday, his numbers should be solid.
I asked him to provide a scouting report on Tuttle, considering most of college football knows little about him other than his number (14), size (6 feet 4 inches tall, 215 pounds) and that in 2018, after his freshman season, he transferred from Utah to Indiana, where his father, Jay, was once a walk-on kicker.
Tuttle laughed before he answered.
“I can throw the ball,” he said. “I’ll really do whatever the team needs me to do in order to win Saturday. That’s all I can really.”
Nick Sheridan, Indiana’s offensive coordinator, said Tuttle is a better athlete than people believe. Maybe that was intended to send a message to Wisconsin that Tuttle will run more than the Hoosiers did with Penix because of the injury risk.
“I guess we’ll keep that a secret for now,” Tuttle said.
One thing more. On Monday, when IU head coach Tom Allen discussed Tuttle, one of the most interesting things Allen said was that Tuttle’s “arm pops.”
I asked Tuttle what he thought Allen meant using that word — pops.
“I think he just means that I can throw the ball,” Tuttle said. “I think he just means I can throw the ball and we’re going to be all good.
“For me, I just want to do every single thing I can for my team. I care about them so much, and I want to give everything I have for them, the love I have for them. It’s LEO (love each other).”
There were plenty of things to love about Tuttle’s high school credentials. When you check the Class of 2018 recruiting rankings for Pro Style Quarterbacks at 247Sports.com, you will uncover several familiar names.
Trevor Lawrence was ranked the best QB — as well as the best overall prospect in the class. Nobody doubts what Lawrence has done at Clemson.
Penix was placed 20 spots behind at quarterback as well as No. 548 in the class.
Guess which prospect was ranked between Lawrence and Penix — the No. 8 QB and No. 167 overall player.?
Tuttle. Why else would I mention it?
According to 247, Tuttle had offers from Alabama, LSU, USC, Wisconsin, Indiana and others.
As a high school senior, he threw for more than 3,000 yards with 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also ran for more than 200 yards. This was in suburban San Diego, California, not an 8-man league in South Dakota. Those are better credentials that most quarterbacks Indiana has signed.
Now, on Saturday at Wisconsin on national television, Tuttle will have an opportunity to prove something about himself as well as about Indiana football.
“I’m looking forward to playing loose and having some fun Saturday,” he said.
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